<p>I'm currently enrolled for computer engineering, but i might try and switch to computer science. I'm also looking for a new laptop for the school year and I understand the computer labs are open 24/7 for cse majors but that it's also a good idea to have a laptop for college in general. My question is is a laptop with specific specs actually required for these majors? Are there any programs I'll need to put into it? Please aid me in my laptop search! By the way I've been eyeing lenovos and asus laptops as a good choice but suggestions are much appreciated.
*Not dorming at UCR, Riverside native.</p>
<p>The difference between CS and CE is under CE there is more electrical engineering classes and as a CE you’ll have access to EE rooms and choice of CS or EE senior design. As you go along you will have to add programs based on classes. As long as you have a PC you’ll be fine with whatever you do get. Lenovos and Asus laptops are both reliable and good computers.
For programing you may prefer to get a laptop with a larger screen, but they do get heavy. As well, the lab computers have really nice large screens and are open 24/7 with card access.</p>
<p>I was a CS major…graduated over 10 years ago. Everyone moved into the dorms my freshman year either did not own a computer or were using a beige tower with a CRT. When I got my first laptop later that year, my peers were so jealous…that thing weighed a LOT and upgrading from 64mb to 128mb of ram was so expensive! Mp3s were just starting to be mainstream and iPod was not invented yet. F$%K I’m old hehehe.</p>
<p>get a PC, Macs are NOT welcomed in the programming world…at least not as an undergrad. Don’t even think about that dual boot argument. Trust me, you’l regret it. As for as NEED a laptop, no. But it is useful to have your personal reliable machine with you. I would say go with a 15.6 as the sweet spot. Don’t spend less than maybe $800 (there are sooooo many sub $600 laptops out there these days) because you will eventually a computer with more power than just a internet and word processor machine can provide. Get a cheap laptop and you may need to get another one in a year or two.</p>
<p>Thank you two very much for the replies! I expect my laptop search to come to an end this month.</p>
<p>Is having a better graphics card important? I found an asus with NVIDIA G740 graphics, just shy of $1000.</p>